Your blog is giving me hope! 27 y/o male. Severed radial nerve on July 22, 2018 from a glass window. The surgery was completed successfully and have been in great care @ UCSF since. No major improvements yet but your progress seriously makes me think it's going to be OK. You didn't lose any motor function of your wrist initially? Where on your arm was the laceration? Mine is exactly where it bends (interior of the elbow).
Hi Noah, just seing your comment now. I'm so glad that you were able to have a successful surgery and have a good doctor. I have worked really hard to get where I am but over the past few weeks I have actually started to feel like my use of my hand and arm is almost back to normal. I'm getting there! Just keep on working on your stretches and once you get movement just keep doing your therapy and trying your hardest! And don't forget to get tons of sleep!
Just as an FYI, here are the things I did: physical therapy, got lots of sleep, started exercising and weightlifting as soon as I could, took flax seed oil and vitamin C, and ate a lot of fish and healthy food.
Noah, just saw your additional question about where my cut was. It was lower on my arm, kind of mid-forearm, so I didn't lose function of my wrist. That said, I have met people online who have cut their nerves higher and are recovering. It just takes longer, but I had full nerver recovery according to my doctor, around 6 or 7 months after my injury. Since yours is about 3 inches higher, it would probably be recovery after 9 or 10 months.
Did you have any significant muscle damage? The effects I still have are because of muscle damage, not nerve damage...
I was not told if I had any muscle damage...so I don't believe so. I have a big check-up appointment on Tuesday so will be sure to ask then. I started taking Flax Seed oil after your suggestion and B12 from my general doc's suggestion. Trying to get as much sleep as possible as well! Did you take Vitamin C pills or get it from your diet?
Another question I had was if you experienced any swelling in your hand as you recovered? Mine certainly seems swollen as of late. Another thing I plan to ask my dr. on Tuesday...
ooh. And as your fingers were able to move again....did this just happen suddenly or was it a gradual process? In other words, did you just wake up with the ability suddenly after not having it?
Hi There, I was lucky and my injury only affected my radial nerve meaning it didn't affect any sensory nerves and I didn't have any severe or chronic pain.
hi jeanne are you back to playing guitar.. ive just severed ulnar nerve about 3 inches above wrist.. its only been a few days but your blog gives us hope
I started my Joirney a couple of months ago. Around end of December.
I am gaining back my feeling and see that my muscles are forming. Though I cannot extend my wrist and fingers yet.
Would be great if you can share more about when you started gaining back the wrist and fingers. But also the signs you were seeing when you first started recovering
Hi Siso, I hurt my arm at the end of October 2017 and I started to gettin movement again in my pinky and ring finger in the beginning of March 2018. So basically it took 4 months to start getting movement in my fingers. I started to get a lot more movement over the following months.
That said, I never had wrist drop because my injury is below my elbow.
Hi All, It's been quite a while since I've posting, but I wanted to log on and share that my typing has continued to get better and better and I am now up to 94 word per minutes (unfortunately not perfectly accurate, but oh well). When I shared my score last year, I was in the 60's but my form was still a bit awkward. Well, not so much any more! My form is becoming more and more like it used to be and I am getting close to being just as comfortable typing as I used to be. Joy! I'll post another update soon about how everything else is going, but for now, I'll just say that things are going well!
Yesterday, I got my stitches out and the doctor said that my injury looks good. Excellent healing, no sign of infection, etc. At this point, I no longer need a bandage and I can shower like normal. It's pretty weird taking my brace on and off because my hand seems more like a pile of playdough than part of my body. It just doesn't work, so it feels foreign. Like it doesn't belong to me. Other than that, I'm mostly doing fine. I'm just getting used to the frustrations of one-handed life, like eating a salad with my left hand. That is the worst. I was always a bit awkward when I used my dominant hand to eat a salad. Now I'm a wreck. That said, my doctor said that I am handling this with more serenity and acceptance than he's ever seen in any patient before. In fact, he even checked to be sure I understood the severity and probable outcomes of the injury because of my good attitude. I explained that I've read a ton about my condition and that I am ...
Your blog is giving me hope! 27 y/o male. Severed radial nerve on July 22, 2018 from a glass window. The surgery was completed successfully and have been in great care @ UCSF since. No major improvements yet but your progress seriously makes me think it's going to be OK. You didn't lose any motor function of your wrist initially? Where on your arm was the laceration? Mine is exactly where it bends (interior of the elbow).
ReplyDeleteHi Noah, just seing your comment now. I'm so glad that you were able to have a successful surgery and have a good doctor. I have worked really hard to get where I am but over the past few weeks I have actually started to feel like my use of my hand and arm is almost back to normal. I'm getting there! Just keep on working on your stretches and once you get movement just keep doing your therapy and trying your hardest! And don't forget to get tons of sleep!
DeleteJust as an FYI, here are the things I did: physical therapy, got lots of sleep, started exercising and weightlifting as soon as I could, took flax seed oil and vitamin C, and ate a lot of fish and healthy food.
Noah, just saw your additional question about where my cut was. It was lower on my arm, kind of mid-forearm, so I didn't lose function of my wrist. That said, I have met people online who have cut their nerves higher and are recovering. It just takes longer, but I had full nerver recovery according to my doctor, around 6 or 7 months after my injury. Since yours is about 3 inches higher, it would probably be recovery after 9 or 10 months.
DeleteDid you have any significant muscle damage? The effects I still have are because of muscle damage, not nerve damage...
Hi Jeanne,
DeleteI was not told if I had any muscle damage...so I don't believe so. I have a big check-up appointment on Tuesday so will be sure to ask then. I started taking Flax Seed oil after your suggestion and B12 from my general doc's suggestion. Trying to get as much sleep as possible as well! Did you take Vitamin C pills or get it from your diet?
Another question I had was if you experienced any swelling in your hand as you recovered? Mine certainly seems swollen as of late. Another thing I plan to ask my dr. on Tuesday...
Have a great weekend and thank you!
ooh. And as your fingers were able to move again....did this just happen suddenly or was it a gradual process? In other words, did you just wake up with the ability suddenly after not having it?
DeleteDo you have CRPS? From the nerve damage?
DeleteHi There, I was lucky and my injury only affected my radial nerve meaning it didn't affect any sensory nerves and I didn't have any severe or chronic pain.
DeleteIs arm muscles shapes changes during recovery???
Deletehi jeanne
Deleteare you back to playing guitar.. ive just severed ulnar nerve about 3 inches above wrist.. its only been a few days but your blog gives us hope
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI started my Joirney a couple of months ago. Around end of December.
I am gaining back my feeling and see that my muscles are forming. Though I cannot extend my wrist and fingers yet.
Would be great if you can share more about when you started gaining back the wrist and fingers. But also the signs you were seeing when you first started recovering
Hi Siso, I hurt my arm at the end of October 2017 and I started to gettin movement again in my pinky and ring finger in the beginning of March 2018. So basically it took 4 months to start getting movement in my fingers. I started to get a lot more movement over the following months.
DeleteThat said, I never had wrist drop because my injury is below my elbow.